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Argentina 23-26 England: England overcome Pumas to win Rugby World Cup bronze-medal match
England completed their Rugby World Cup campaign with a victory as they narrowly overcame a proud Argentina performance in the third-place play-off in Paris.
Ben Earl slid over as England shot out to an early 13-0 lead, but Argentina clawed their way back and were briefly ahead through Tomas Cubelli and Santiago Carreras tries, before England’s Theo Dan charged down a kick and crossed. Owen Farrell’s boot kept England’s noses in front as he exchanged penalties with Nicolas Sanchez in a nervy finale.
Backed by a believing crowd, Argentina launched a late assault on England’s line but Sanchez pushed a penalty to tie the scores wide, allowing Steve Borthwick’s side to finish France 2023 with a win.
After seeming set to stroll to victory early on, there was heartfelt relief among England’s players as the final whistle blew. It means England’s campaign ends as it began. Seven weeks ago, they overcame the Pumas 27-10 in the heat of Marseille.
Three minutes into that game, facing 77 minutes without the sent-off Tom Curry and with five defeats in their previous six games behind them, things looked grim for England. But they ground their way to victory on that occasion to kick-start a campaign that came within three minutes and one point of beating South Africa in the semi-finals to make Saturday’s showpiece.
Several of England’s young guns pressed their cases for future inclusion in a game free of knockout pressure, but higher on quality than the teams’ previous meeting. Hooker Dan impressed with his energy and appetite for work, while Marcus Smith was enterprising and incisive in attack, even if not all of his ideas paid off.
There had been speculation that Henry Arundell, the scorer of five tries in the pool-stage thrashing of Chile, might challenge the national record of six tries in a single World Cup, achieved by Chris Ashton in 2011, or even rival this edition’s top-scorer Will Jordan, who has crossed eight times in total. However, he did not touch the ball once in the first half and gave away a penalty with a duff kick when afforded space for the first time in the second.
Line-ups:
England: Smith; Steward, Marchant, Tuilagi, Arundell; Farrell (capt), Youngs; Genge, Dan, Stuart, Itoje, Chessum, Curry, Underhill, Earl.
Replacements: Ford for Tuilagi (56), Lawrence for Arundell (66), Care for Youngs (51), Rodd for Genge (50), George for Dan (54), Cole for Stuart (50), Ribbans for Chessum (70), Ludlam for Curry (50).
Argentina:Mallia; Boffelli, Cinti, De la Fuente, M Carreras; S Carreras, Cubelli; Gallo, Montoya (capt), Kodela, Pagadizabal, Rubiolo, Gonzalez, Kremer, Isa
Replacements: Moroni for Cinti Luna (47), Sanchez for S. Carreras (56), Velez for Cubelli (51), Sclavi for Gallo (66), Creevy for Montoya (56), Bello for Gomez Kodela (61), Alemanno for Rubiolo (66), Bruni for Isa (47).
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistants: Andrew Brace (Ireland) and Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
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U – 19 World Cup: Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 106 runs
In Windhoek, Sri Lanka strode to 267 for 5, with Vimath Dinsara hitting 95, and Chamika Heenatigala hitting 51. That pair put on a 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but there had also been a solid contribution from Kavija Gamage, who made 49. Ireland seamer Oliver Riley who took 2 for 51, dismissing top-scorer Dinsara and also Viran Chamuditha, who had made 192 in the last match.
But Ireland were timid in response. Behind the required rate from early in the piece, they also lost frequent wickets. They were struggling at 66 for 2 in the 19th over, but were soon 96 for 6 in the 27th over, the match essentially having slipped away. They were eventually dismissed for 161 in the 41st over. The right-arm seamers did the damage for Sri Lanka, Rasith Nimsara taking 3 for 29, and Dulnith Sigera claiming 4 for 19.
This victory puts Sri Lanka at the top of Group A, with a Net Run Rate of 3.090 – the best in the tournament so far.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Under 19s 267 for 5 in 50 overs (Vimath Dinsara 95, Kavija Gamage 49, Chamika Heenatigala 51*; Oliver Riley 2-51) beat Ireland Under 19s 161 in 40.1 overs (Callum Armstrong 39; Rasith Nimsara 3-29, Dulnith Sigera 4-19) by 106 runs
(Cricinfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Rowles, Bulbulia star in South Africa’s big win over Tanzania
South Africa monstered the Tanzania side over in Windhoek, Muhammed Bulbulia and Jason Rowles hitting hundreds to get South Africa to 397 for 5, before their bowlers blasted Tanzania out for 68.
Tanzania had begun encouragingly, although South Africa were always scoring quickly. They had taken two South Africa wickets inside the first 14 overs, and had South Africa at 93 for 2 at one stage. But then Bulbulia and Rowles came together, to take the game rapidly away from the opposition, with a 201-run partnership that came off 176 balls.
Rowles was the more aggressive of the pair in the end, clobbering five sixes and ten fours in his 125 not out off 101 deliveries. Bulbulia hit one six and ten fours in his run-a-ball 108. Paul James also produced a rollicking finishing knock, crashing five sixes and two fours in his 46 off 18.
Tanzania could not get off the blocks in the chase. South Africa took their first wicket in the second over, and just did not stop striking, the wickets spread between all five bowlers used.
Rowles added to his outstanding performance by claiming two wickets for 14 with his left-arm spin. Bayanda Majola also took two wickets, for six runs.
Brief scores:
South Africa Under-19s 397 for 5 in 50 overs (Jason Rowles 125, Muhammed Bulbulia 108, Jorich Van Schalkwyk 47, Paul James 46; Simba Mbaki 2-85) beat Tanzania Under-19s 68 in 32.2 overs (Simba Mbaki 17; Bayanda Majola 2-6, Jason Rowles 2-14) by 329 runs
(Cricibfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Raza, Usman steer Pakistan to victory over Scotland
Pakistan quick Ali Raza rattled Scotland with his pace early on, before left-arm wristspinner Momin Qamar helped take down the middle order. Scotland showed some mettle, particularly during a 68-run seventh-wicket partnership that raised their total to a creditable 187.
But it was clear they were outgunned. Many Scotland batters were uncomfortable against Ali’s pace, and struggled to read Pakistan’s wristspinners. Raza deservedly emerged with the game’s best figures, taking 4 for 37 – two of those wickets having come in a memorable first over. Qamar took 3 for 46. Scotland’s highest scorer was captain Thomas Knight, who ground out a 72-ball 37, before Qamar slipped a beautifully-flighted delivery past his defences.
Despite some gutsy batting from Finlay Jones and Manu Saraswat down the order, Scotland always seemed headed to a sub-par score, even given the seamer-friendly conditions in Harare. When they lost two wickets in the first over – Raza bowling Theo Robinson and Max Chaplin with outstanding deliveries – they were in danger of being skittled quickly. But they battled through until the 49th over.
Pakistan’s chase was mostly straightforward. Scotland’s seamers got some movement with the new ball, and Ollie Jones was able to extract two wickets by the 12th over. But No. 3 batter Usman Khan struck 75, and Ahmed Hussain – who had earlier taken a sublime catch – joined him for a 111-run stand that made the game safe. They got home with six wickets to spare, in the 44th over.
Brief scores:
Pakistan Under-19s 190 for 4 in 43.1 9vers (Usman Khan 75, Ahmed Hussain 47; Ollie Jones 2-41, Manu Saraswat 2-46) beat Scotland Under-19s 187 in 48.1 overs (Thomas Knight 37; Ali Raza 4-37, Momin Qamar 3-46, Abdul Subhan 2-36) by six wickets
(Cricinfo)
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